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By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A memorial area at the Pike River Mine on the West Coast is expected to be built in about a year, the Department of Conservation (DOC) says.
However, funding is yet to be confirmed for a planned visitor centre as part of the four-stage project … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A memorial area at the Pike River Mine on the West Coast is expected to be built in about a year, the Department of Conservation (DOC) says.
However, funding is yet to be confirmed for a planned visitor centre as part of the four-stage project marking the Pike River Mine disaster.
The Pike 29 Memorial Track formally opened on February 16, in conjunction with the Pike River families group, Te Rūnunga o Ngati Waewae, and DOC.
DOC Western South Island operations director Mark Davies briefed the West Coast Conservation Board on February 21, a few days after the track was formally opened.
Davies said a pavilion and memorial at the mine portal, the third stage, is funded and expected to be completed in about 12 months.
This included 1km of sealed pedestrian access along the existing road edge to the portal.
The track was the second stage of four, which are part of plans agreed with representatives of the victims' families and the Government in 2015.
It aimed to provide a permanent memorial to the 29 men who died, as well as providing local economic benefit to the community.
The fourth stage of the plans, to turn part of the former mine administration area into a visitor centre, was at the planning stage, with funding yet to be confirmed, Davies said.
"The families understand that, the ministers understand that. We will support the families through the process."
He did not specify the original budget, but said timing and inflation had impacted the original concept.
The Paparoa Track opened in late 2019, representing the first new 'great walk' built in decades.
The Pike 29 Memorial Track is an 11km side route off the Paparoa Track, providing a loop for walkers and mountain bikers. It begins and ends near Blackball which has reinvented itself as as a base for the track.
Davies said the original agreement was for the Pike 29 track to be where "the story is told" of the 2011 tragedy.
The track has a view of the mine shaft, but at this stage the portal area remains off-limits.
Significantly, he said the recent opening marked the formal return of some of the Pike River Valley to public access for the first time since 2006.
The valley had been added to the Paparoa National Park in 2016, but DOC had to pause opening it due to the 2017 decision to reenter the drift of the Pike Mine.
The department resumed its work after June 2022, including a significant upgrade of the access road and its bridges, Davies said.
Davies said keeping public vehicles out of the area was respectful to those who died - although the department will continue to use the road for gas monitoring purposes
"The road is quite steep and we don't want the public to take vehicles up to the portal."
Davies said it was an "absolute privilege to be leading" the second aspect of the project.
He paid tribute to the board for helping facilitate a quick review of the Paparoa National Park management plan in conjunction with Ngāti Waewae in 2017.
This enabled the concept including the great walk and memorial track.
The process at the time had become "an exemplar" around what can be done to adapt national park plans including "breathing life" into Te Tiriti partnerships, he said.
* LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council is being warned it is not collecting enough money from rates, and will need to consider using its investments again to subsidise rates.
The council's financial manager raised the matter as it received a report … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council is being warned it is not collecting enough money from rates, and will need to consider using its investments again to subsidise rates.
The council's financial manager raised the matter as it received a report on its investment portfolio at a Risk and Assurance Committee meeting on February 20.
Committee chairperson Frank Dooley said fund manager JB Were had advised "a cautious stance" over divesting its portfolio.
Acting corporate services manager Aaron Prendergast said the draft long-term plan suggested using funds generated from this portfolio to reduce rates.
The council was "under rating".
"It is timely for some of those decisions around how the portfolio operates," he said.
Dooley said the council's rates income should generate debate again this year.
He repeated his previous stance that council could not afford to keep rates down if it were to meet its statutory responsibilities.
"This council has under rated for a number of years, and as a result we have accumulated a number of deficits," he said.
"As we go through the LTP consultation phase I think this is something that will be … debated quite rigorously."
That included the role of the investment portfolio and rates income, Dooley said.
The ouncil's investment fund closed for the six months to December 31 at just over $13 million, $431,484 higher from July 1 ($12.57m).
Its catastrophe fund sat at $495,817 while awaiting the $1m previously spent in Westport in 2022.
According to the investment report, the council owes $11.4m via the Local Government Funding Agency, and nearly $2m under a 'multi-option credit loan' with Westpac.
Prendergast said the council needed to weigh up its investment and its capacity to use that to subsidise rates increases.
"I think the quantum if we were to reinvest as opposed to subsidise rates is about $1 million a year," he said.
Councillor Brett Cummings said council had previously used investment income to subsidise rates income, but this saw the investment fund growth rate slowly decrease.
Subsequently, the council chose to build up the main fund again, with the last withdrawal in 2021.
Dooley was the sole dissenter against the 2023-24 increase of 16.4%, saying it needed to be much higher.
Meantime, some ratepayers are still unclear what their total 2023-24 rates bills will be.
French daybed for sale. It is 194 cm long, and 90 cm deep. Sides are 80 cm high and back is 90 cm high. It can be dismantled into a flatpack.
Hunger for Colour is back for 2024! Bring two cans of food into your local Resene ColorShop and swap them for one Resene testpot (60-80ml). Resene will donate all food to The Salvation Army foodbanks.
We accept all cans of food in good condition and suitable for humans to eat. If you prefer to … View moreHunger for Colour is back for 2024! Bring two cans of food into your local Resene ColorShop and swap them for one Resene testpot (60-80ml). Resene will donate all food to The Salvation Army foodbanks.
We accept all cans of food in good condition and suitable for humans to eat. If you prefer to bring in canned pet food, we can accept that also and will donate it to the SPCA and local community animal shelters.
By adding a little more colour to your life you can also help those in need.
Feeling the Summer heat? Don't let your power bill skyrocket along with the temperatures!
Check out these 10 simple tips to keep cool and save money on your power bills this season.
The Christchurch Art Show is back at Te Pae Convention Centre March 8 – 10!
Expect amazing artwork of all types, artist demonstrations, and award- winning artists at New Zealand’s largest art show. The Christchurch Art Show’s new VIP Preview event opens 8 March 5pm, the ever-popular … View moreThe Christchurch Art Show is back at Te Pae Convention Centre March 8 – 10!
Expect amazing artwork of all types, artist demonstrations, and award- winning artists at New Zealand’s largest art show. The Christchurch Art Show’s new VIP Preview event opens 8 March 5pm, the ever-popular opening night follows this at 7:30pm. Both are pre- sale catered events and opening night will sell out!
Show Days are: Sat 9th March 10am-8pm and Sun 10th March 10am - 5pm.
Come and view thousands of original quality artworks, meet the artists and view live art demonstrations. Make it a day out and enjoy The Christchurch Art Show!
Buy Christchurch Tickets (New) – ART SHOW TICKETING
Peter is helping us out with something that nearly everyone can relate to – dealing with the unsorted photos taking up space on your phone or languishing in boxes in your home.
“Without fail, when I give a talk about getting organised, I’m always asked how to deal with photos,” says … View morePeter is helping us out with something that nearly everyone can relate to – dealing with the unsorted photos taking up space on your phone or languishing in boxes in your home.
“Without fail, when I give a talk about getting organised, I’m always asked how to deal with photos,” says Peter.
Boxes of unsorted photos can feel overwhelming to organise so they often get left for many years to clutter up our houses. In addition to this, most of us have smartphones that make it easy to take photos anywhere, so pretty soon our digital photo life becomes cluttered too.
Click read more for the full article.
For only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home in Pegasus, Christchurch worth almost $1 million.
Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, this home is waiting for its new owner.
Make this property … View moreFor only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home in Pegasus, Christchurch worth almost $1 million.
Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, this home is waiting for its new owner.
Make this property your permanent residence, a holiday home, rent it or even sell it!
Don’t miss out! Get your tickets today at heartlottery.org.nz.
There have been hundreds of wonderful entries in this year's Prospa Local Business Hero from across the country! If you haven't nominated a special local business yet, do it today.
- Got a great mechanic? Nominate them today.
- A barista who makes you smile? Nominate them today.
- … View moreThere have been hundreds of wonderful entries in this year's Prospa Local Business Hero from across the country! If you haven't nominated a special local business yet, do it today.
- Got a great mechanic? Nominate them today.
- A barista who makes you smile? Nominate them today.
- A reassuring pharmacy team? Nominate them today.
Make a small business' day today by nominating them as your Prospa Local Business Hero - and you could make their whole year (our national winner picks up an incredible $10,000 prize package!)
We're looking for delicious carrot recipes to feature in NZ Gardener's April issue. Send your family's favourite ways to eat this easy-to-grow vege crop to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by February 25, 2024. Every published recipe wins a copy of the April issue of NZ Gardener.
It could be our wonderful staff. Our vibrant communities. Our amazing amenities. Or just the peace of mind that our guaranteed fixed base weekly fee* brings. There are so many reasons to choose the Ryman lifestyle. We’d love to add one more reason to your list - $15,000 back for a limited time*.
… View moreIt could be our wonderful staff. Our vibrant communities. Our amazing amenities. Or just the peace of mind that our guaranteed fixed base weekly fee* brings. There are so many reasons to choose the Ryman lifestyle. We’d love to add one more reason to your list - $15,000 back for a limited time*.
If you sign up to one of our new home offers, you’ll get a $15,000 credit on settlement*.
There’s truly never been a better time to choose Ryman.
*Terms and conditions apply.
Hey neighbours! How has your power been treating you lately? Any sparks or stumbles in the past year?
Share the woes and let's brighten each other's day!
This week, we're celebrating love in all its forms, with some of our residents celebrating by sharing cherished memories, including their wedding dresses and the beautiful stories behind them.
An array of wedding dresses, ranging from the modern to the traditional, were on display along … View moreThis week, we're celebrating love in all its forms, with some of our residents celebrating by sharing cherished memories, including their wedding dresses and the beautiful stories behind them.
An array of wedding dresses, ranging from the modern to the traditional, were on display along with dozens of amazing wedding photos dating back to the 1800s in a nod to Valentine’s Day.
“With it being Valentine’s Day this week, we wanted something that would be inclusive of all the residents, those who are still lucky enough to have their partners but also those sharing happy memories of those that they have lost.”
Click read more for the full story.
The Pet Life.
It’s the life you share with your pet, and the life they share with you. We believe the pet life’s a life worth protecting.
Which is why we are dedicated to helping pets live longer, healthier and happier lives every day.
We’re proudly born and bred in New Zealand, and … View moreThe Pet Life.
It’s the life you share with your pet, and the life they share with you. We believe the pet life’s a life worth protecting.
Which is why we are dedicated to helping pets live longer, healthier and happier lives every day.
We’re proudly born and bred in New Zealand, and are equally proud to partner with the NZ Veterinary Association and Pet Refuge. Just two ways we’re there to support the Pet Life community.
Protect the Pet Life.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Engineers are surveying the new channel cut by the Waiho (Waiau) River at Franz Josef Glacier, but there are no plans to try to re-train the river back to its normal course.
About 95% of the main flow of the river starting flowing north through the… View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Engineers are surveying the new channel cut by the Waiho (Waiau) River at Franz Josef Glacier, but there are no plans to try to re-train the river back to its normal course.
About 95% of the main flow of the river starting flowing north through the Tatare Stream after heavy rain on January 18 to 20.
The river began shifting towards the neighbouring Tatare in mid-2023, forcing the council to abandon plans for a series of bunds (embankments) along the lower Waiho, below the Franz Josef town sewerage ponds.
While there is now concern about the river being up against the northern bank in front of the sewerage ponds, the southern bank stopbanks on the usually vulnerable Waiho Flat side of the river, have been left high and dry.
West Coast Regional Council engineering staff are now surveying those stopbanks before carrying out interim maintenance, and is also awaiting the results of a new Lidar survey of the riverbed, which uses light to create 3-D images of a landscape, to understand the new direction of the river's main channel.
A South Westland resident claimed last week a large bulldozer was being moved towards Franz Josef, probably in an effort to change the course of the river.
Responding, council chief executive Daryl Lew said the council was simply "mobilising" its resources in the area as it weighed options to deal with the situation.
Chairperson Peter Haddock said the bulldozer seen last week was nothing to do with the regional council or any plans to divert the Waiho River.
Haddock said he was aware a private landowner at Waiho Flat had contracted a large bulldozer to undertake work to protect their land, but it had nothing to do with the council.
"To my knowledge the bulldozer is not being engaged by council," he said.
However, the council was getting organised for the medium term maintenance of the existing stopbanks on the south side "to hold the line" while the riverbed was dry.
It hoped to get the green light from Government funding agency Kanoa to use some of the reserved $8.77 million granted under the original co-funded $24m Waiho protection scheme for that work, he said.
The south bank repairs were ahead of the longer term plan to abandon the Waiho Flat to the river by pulling down the banks, starting in about 10 years' time.
Haddock said options for possibly diverting the river channel would need to go to the community first before any decisions were made.
"Unless there's a distinct emergency, that needs to go to the rating district first."
The risk to the sewerage ponds on the north bank remained a matter for the Westland District Council to assess, he said.
While Westland had now said it wanted to add protection below the sewerage ponds, that would only be an interim solution and would also need to go to the rating district, "if it's deemed the ponds are at risk".
"The rating district has to decide if it has an appetite."
Haddock said the regional council continued to monitor the Waiho flowing via the Tatare Stream and the gorge.
If it continued to escalate, then any protection solutions from below the end of the sewerage ponds were likely to be beyond the rating district and council's capacity and would require Government intervention, he said.
* LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air
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